| A second-wicket stand of 205 between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli paved the way for India's 50-run win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. Gambhir (100) and Kohli (108) came together when Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for six and went on to help India amass a total of 304 for three from their 50 overs. Sri Lanka looked to be on course to reach India's score, the highest ever target set at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, but lost their last five wickets for just 39 runs to end up all out for 254 from 45.1 overs. Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene's decision to put India in to bat in Dhaka came back to haunt him, as other than one notable chance when Gambhir was dropped on 37 by Dinesh Chandimal, the opening batsman and Kohli were virtually untouchable. They both reached the century milestone in the same over and, even though they both fell in the subsequent one, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni ensured momentum was not lost with an eye-catching 46 off 30 balls. Such an impressive final total had looked unlikely when Tendulkar, still chasing his 100th international century, chased a full toss from Suranga Lakmal and could only find the hands of Jayawardene early on. At that stage, Sri Lanka's decision to omit Lasith Malinga looked an inspired one, but Gambhir and Kohli quickly changed that. After Gambhir's near-miss they moved through the gears, with the opener the first to reach his half-century off 59 balls and Kohli following quickly after from 66. Their centuries duly followed, with Kohli taking centre stage first as he pushed a length ball from Nuwan Kulasekera into the offside for a 10th ODI hundred, with Gambhir pulling a short ball for a single two balls later to secure his own three-figure score. The duo perished soon after, with Gambhir launching Farveez Maharoof into the hands of Upul Tharanga and Kohli going two balls later off the same bowler. But Dhoni's cameo ensured the innings still ended on a high, with Suresh Raina (30 from 17) joining him for a 43-ball partnership of 78. In reply, Sri Lanka recovered from an early setback when Tillakaratne Dilshan was dismissed for seven by Irfan Pathan, as Jayawardene (78) and Kumar Sangakkara (65) made a solid second-wicket stand. When Jayawardene was caught behind off the bowling of Pathan in the 19th over, the Lions were in a good position at 124 for two, helped along by the two sixes and 10 fours in their captain's 59-ball innings. Chandimal (13) was quickly on his way after being bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin, before Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne were despatched by the same bowler in the 36th over to leave the match evenly poised with Sri Lanka on 198 for five. However, another double-wicket blow - this time when Vinay Kumar dismissed Kulasekara and Chamara Kapugedera in the 39th over - left the run chase in disarray as the Lions slumped to 216 for seven. Tharanga (17) and Maharoof (18) put up slight resistence in the tail, but it was left to Pathan to wrap up the Sri Lankan innings when he claimed the wicket of Seekkuge Prasanna for eight to record figures of four for 32 from 8.1 overs. |